Nintendo Inc. posted an update on its Japanese website stating that the Nintendo Wii U console production is being halted permanently. This news comes after rumors about the company's plan to make way for the Nintendo Switch console was circulated on the Internet.
The statement on the Nintendo website comes with a picture that has a caption saying that the unit production is scheduled to end soon. The end of the Nintendo Wii U console production is currently being implemented only in Japan.
Nintendo Confirms Wii U Production Is Coming To A Close https://t.co/qlYsIXGUEk #WiiU #Hardware #Japan pic.twitter.com/PTGs4J6Sgl
— Nintendo Life (@nintendolife) November 10, 2016
The black version of the Nintendo Wii U console is now listed as no longer in production, while the white 32GB premium set is being sold in a limited fashion. Hardcore Nintendo fans in the US are now anxious as to when will the halt of unit shipment will happen in the North American region.
The Nintendo Wii U console is considered by many as the company's worst-selling product, behind only the GameCube that sold 21 million units during its peak. The commercial failure of the Nintendo Wii U console was proven by its weak financial performance amounting to only 14 million units sold worldwide.
Nintendo's future isn't exactly in jeopardy since the Japanese video game company has recently unveiled the new Nintendo Switch. The new console can work with a television set and at the same time work as a portable device like a tablet.
Unlike the Nintendo Wii U console, the expectation for the performance of the new Nintendo Switch is much higher. Nintendo would soon reveal the pricing and release date of the new unit in January. The company also released a surprise piece of gaming tech this year in the form of the mini NES Classic Edition.
"The Legend of Zelda" was expected to be the Nintendo Wii U console's new holiday release, but it was pushed back to 2017 to match the launch of the Nintendo Switch. Video game analysts have said that the only games worth mentioning for the Nintendo Wii U console are the recently launched "Paper Mario: Color Splash" and "Star Fox Zero."
Nintendo is also focusing more on its mobile game development; an example of this is the mobile app "Miitomo" that has 10 million users worldwide. New mobile games like "Fire Emblem" and "Animal Crossing" are also being developed by the company.
Do you think Nintendo made the right choice in ending the Nintendo Wii U console production? Share your comments below.
